Top 10 Hair Questions - Answered!

Last week, I tweeted out to all of my friends and readers and asked them to send me any hair questions that they have been curious about. Here are some of those questions and my professional (somewhat opinionated) answers.

1. What is an easy way and/or product that gives volume at the roots?

There are several ways of getting volume at the roots! One way is to use lightweight products and shampoos (i.e. nothing with moroccan oil or heavy things like that). Another way, don't apply conditioner to your roots (at least not every time you shower). It can also weigh down your roots. There are lots of lightweight, volumizing styling products that you can use on your root area. My favorite is Kevin.Murphy Anti.Gravity oil free volumizer. You can also use volumizing spray and mousse. With all of these, make sure you blowdry (so you don't have crunchy hair) while lifting at the roots with your fingers or a brush. 

2. I've had half of my hair turquoise for 10 months, and had to bleach it out first. My hair is damaged a little bit due to the bleaching process, but I still want to keep it turquoise. How can I keep it from getting anymore damage? 

The best way to keep from getting anymore damage would be to not bleach over what has already been lightened. As your hair grows out, you can lighten your new growth but don't pull the bleach through to the ends of your hair. After refreshing your turquoise color, try a deep conditioning mask. Use a deep conditioner once a week. Also, go easy on heating tools. Blow dry on a warm or cool setting, and try not to flat iron or curl your hair every day.

3. I'm trying to grow my hair out, but I have a lot of split ends. How can I get rid of them without losing any length?

Unfortunately, the only way to completely get rid of split ends is to cut them. There is no miracle hair product out there that will fully repair them. A regularly scheduled trim is best, but if you just can't handle losing length, you can requesting a "dusting" trim from your stylist every couple weeks. That is just barely nipping about an 1/8th inch off the ends. It's not much, but it helps.

4. How often should I wash my hair?

As least often as you can stand it. I usually go 2-3 days before I can't handle it anymore. If you can go longer without your hair turning into an oily rat's nest, then good for you! Washing your hair too often can dry out your scalp and strands which leads to itchiness and brittle hair.  

5. Does hair color damage your hair?

Some do and some don't. Generally, color is a lot safer than, say, bleach. However, some color brands contain large amounts of ammonia. Ammonia is pretty harsh on your hair and causes damage after a while. I use Wella color on my clients because it contains little to no ammonia (depending on which line from them that I need to use for coverage), so when it fills the cuticles of the hair, it does more nourishing than damage.

6. My scalp is very dry and itchy. Is there a remedy for this?

Try a dandruff, medicated, or moisturizing shampoo like Paul Mitchell Moisturizing Lather Shampoo or AVEDA Scalp Benefits. Also, like I said above, try to wash your hair less often to allow your scalp to produce a little natural oil. Our scalps naturally do that for a reason!

7. Is it possible to go back to my natural color after artificially coloring it?

Yes and no. Obviously, you can just grow out all of the artificial color. If you don't want to wait that long or the line of demarcation between the color and your natural looks terrible, there are techniques, colors, and toners that your stylist can use to get you pretty close to your natural color. It may not be identical, though, because natural hair color is usually a little bit duller than artificial color. 

8. How do I keep my color from fading?

Stay away from clarifying shampoos. They tend to strip color from the hair. Excessive heat (from the blowdryer, flat iron, etc.) can also play a part in color fading, so use less of it. Use color-safe shampoos and conditioners.

9. I think my hair is falling out more than usual! What can I do to stop this?

Lots of things can be causing your extra hair loss. Stress, poor diet, hormonal changes, and more. So basically all you can do is relax more, eat better, and try hair vitamins like biotin and vitamin E. With that being said, it's normal to lose around 100-200 hairs a day. So don't freak out unless it's coming out in clumps. 

10. I have dark hair but I'm thinking about going platinum blonde. Is this an easy process? How much damage/breakage will I have to endure?

I'm not going to lie... it's quite a process and your hair might hate you a little bit along the way. It's easier if you have virgin hair because there aren't layers of color built up on your hair. If you have color-treated hair, it can be a more difficult task of stripping the color, toning, and repeating all over again to safely achieve that platinum color. Hairstylists are trained to achieve that look using the safest techniques and products possible, so always have them do it! It may be pricey, but it's better than risking a "chemical haircut" when you try to do it yourself.

Have anymore questions or need me to elaborate more on one of these listed? Feel free to ask me!